Soul of a Sword, Body of a Prince
by captainharsya23
Summary: Shirou Emiya have a painful life that he never regretted, couldn't have regretted. Then he died. But he's also lucky enough to wake up again, this time as Ryoma Echizen in a world where he won't have to walk the path of a sword but something else entirely. The Fate/stay night/ Prince of Tennis crossover nobody asked for yet I made anyway. Drabble series format. AU and OOC elements
1. Chapter 1

**Soul of a Sword, Body of a Prince**

Summary: Shirou Emiya have a painful life that he never regretted, _couldn't _have regretted. Then he died. But he's also lucky enough to wake up again, this time as Ryoma Echizen in a world where he won't have to walk the path of a sword but something else entirely. The Fate/stay night/ Prince of Tennis crossover nobody asked for yet I made anyway. Drabble series format. There'll be AU and OOC elements (Duh)

DISCLAIMER: I owned neither PoT nor FSN.

* * *

**Survivor**

The eyes are the window of the soul, and Ryoma Echizen's eyes told those who looked close enough that he's a survivor. One that had been through the depth of hell and came out of it over and over again. Not unsatched, not whole, not sane, but surviving all the same. He had been broken, bleeding, cursing, but still living.

His eyes are found in those who have seen the worst of the world and all the creature that lived in it, but also the best of it. Those who have seen _and _learned and accepted all the pain and horror that come with living, knowing that it would break others, because its what he needed to do to keep on walking on the path he chose for himself.

Ryoma Echizen was a survivor. The problem was that he's only five years old.

**Sharp**

It started with a challenge from Nanjiroh. Ever since Ryoga came, the former tennis star have seemed to delegate much of the "play tennis with Ryoma" to the older son. Ryoma doesn't really mind, since he found Ryoga to be much more pleasant that Nanjiroh as a playing partner.

_(Ryoga's always relaxed posture, his "I do whatever I want" attitude, and many things about him ooze a strange sense of familiriaty. As if he had met someone that he could've considered a friend if it's not for circumstances. A sense of familiarity that also bring a strange unease to his chest, begging him to check that there's nothing missing there)_

Then Nanjiroh declared that he wouldn't play with Ryoma until he can beat Ryoga. At first it goes like how Nanjiroh thought it would. Ryoma might have come to like Ryoga, but he also dislike losing and thus began to work harder in improving his tennis.

At first Ryoma had started simple. He tried to copy his older brother and father's techniques, he tried to exercise more like his brother and father did. He did what one would one expect from a six years old kid trying to be as good as his older brother and father in playing tennis: He tries to copy them.

That changed after a month.

It's as if a switch had been flipped. His movements become much more fluid and sophisticated. He began absorb complicated techniques faster than either Ryoga or Nanjiroh can subtly show to him. There's a sense of clarity where there wasn't before in every step and move that Ryoma take. He had stopped copying Ryoga and Nanjiroh and created something for himself.

It only takes him one week to beat Ryoga since then and three more months to beat Nanjiroh for the first time.

**Servant**

The Echizen household used to hire servants to take care of their daily needs. Nanjiroh could barely function as a human being outside of the tennis court, Rinko was barely there due to her extremely busy work, and Ryoga and Ryoma were just kids. That changed, however, when Ryoma turned seven. He had asked his father if he can try to cook dinner for them and Nanjiroh allowed him.

Rinko figured that since she's there, she can supervise the whole thing so their house didn't burn to the ground. Nanjiroh figured that it's gonna be a nice teasing material for him to use against Ryoma in the future (_He might still be a little bitter for getting beaten by his barely seven years old son in the one thing he prided himself greatly in)_. Ryoga was just curious if his beloved Chibisuke can actually do it or not.

As it turned out, Rinko's worry were unfounded, Nanjiroh's plan was ruined (_again_), and Ryoga was delighted because the food they ate that night was probably the best they have ever eaten. Since then Ryoma have taken charge of the household's kitchen.

Then Ryoma asked if he can help one of the servant in cleaning the house. The same pattern were repeated, with Rinko's worry turning out to be unfounded and Nanjiroh's plan to get teasing material folded by an unexpectedly competent Ryoma. Since then Ryoma have taken charge of the task of cleaning the house.

Nanjiroh had teased him, saying that Ryoma will become a perfect housewife in the future. Ryoma just shrugged in response. (_He have heard the same thing from Rin enough time that he stopped caring, really)_

**Stranger**

It wasn't his family that Ryoma told of his past life first, it was a stranger. Well, not exactly a stranger, it was Fuji's older sister, so not exactly a stranger. But they never really met before, so Ryoma decided to count her a stranger.

"You're an old soul." Yumiko Fuji said in a tone that clearly says that she's making a statement and not a question.

Ryoma shrugged. "Maybe I am."

"Maybe you want to talk about it over a coffee?" Yumiko offered, walking toward the kitchen.

Ryoma expected many things when he accepted Syusuke's offer to come to his house after practice ended, but being offered coffee by Syusuke's older sister so they can talk about his previous life isn't one of those.

"I prefers tea."

**Scouted**

It was definitely Ryoga's fault that he ended up joining Seishun Gakuen's tennis club.

Ryoma have specifically told his older brother that by no means was he interested in playing tennis outside of the court behind their house and Nanjiroh seemed to be content with letting Ryoma do whatever he wanted ever since he beats Nanjiroh five years previously. Not to mention Ryoga have already fulfilled Nanjiroh's dream of seeing his old almamater become the champion of Japan just one year previously.

He's already part of a nearby Kendo dojo and have signed up for the Kyuudo club after all. (_Ryoma's not above admitting to himself that there were things from his past life that he's not willing to let go. Archery and swordsmanship are two of those_)

So, by all means, there's no reason for Ryoma to _have to _join the Tennis Club, which clearly were doing more than fine without him, and no reason for Ryoga to tell the club that he can play tennis. Yet Ryoga did anyway.

And there he was, standing inside a court, wishing that he could be literally anywhere else in the world, just not in a tennis court across an overly excitable tennis player whose name he couldn't remember. _(He latter learned that his name was Momoshiro)_

When the bespectacled captain of the club told him that he's going to join a Ranking Tournament to determine whether he'll become a regular or not, Ryoma was reminded that he's a sucker for people who tell him that they need his help.

_(Genicihiro and Seiichi called him a traitor, and honestly, Ryoma couldn't really say anything to defend himself)_

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**A/N: How the hell did I came up with this, I have no idea. Nor do I have any idea on where I'm taking this to, but hopefully somewhere nice. Also, Ryoma was already friend with Sanada and Yukimura before joining Seigaku. Hmm, wonder how that happened (It's pretty obvious how, but guess anyway).**


	2. Chapter 2

**Birth**

Ryoma Echizen had been born with numerous birthmarks, none of them one typically consider to be pretty. One encircled his neck, many others littering his back. Bright red when he had been born, it had eventually faded to a colour just a touch lighter than his skin tone, making it difficult to see even for those who looked closely.

Neither Nanjiroh and Rinko had known what to make of those strange birthmarks on their otherwise perfectly healthy son. The doctor assured them that it didn't cause Ryoma any pain or discomfort, so the pair pushed the matter to back of their mind.

(_A legend says that your birthmarks shows the way you died in your previous life)_

"You have a pretty strange birthmarks, if I must say." Syusuke commented lightly, flipping through the pages of the baby album.

Ryoma had shrugged, his back facing away from Syusuke as he did so. "I guess I did. It's barely visible now. Had been for almost ten years now."

"Hmm, even up close it's hard to see." Fuji said as he looked very closely at Ryoma's neck, hoping to detect the one he saw in the photo to encircle it.

_(It wasn't the dozens of blade that they never bothered to pull out before they hanged him or the rope itself that hurts him the most. It was the betrayal, the way that the world spat on and stomped on his ideals. And what was he but a lonely and helpless sword without his ideals)_

"I think there's a legend." Syusuke began carefully. "That said that your birthmark shows the you died in your previous life."

Ryoma turned to face his senior, his eyes cold and desolate, a ghost of a smile in his lips. Parting his lips, he would say four words that would forever be burned into Syusuke's mind. "Sometimes, legends were right."

**Personal**

"So, how old were you when you died?"

Ryoma looked up from the book he was reading to face Syusuke, shooting the latter a withering glare as if to say "Really?"

The so-called genius shrugged. "Well, I'm curious."

Ryoma sighed, putting his book down. "Thirty-two. I know, I know that's way too young but I didn't exactly lead a healthy lifestyle in my previous life."

_(Involving himself in many battlefields and other horrific conditions couldn't have been good for his health. The smokes alone were probably enough to ruin his lung if it's not for Avalon)_

"And your birthmarks?" Syusuke continued carefully, knowing that he's treading dangerous waters. Even with Yumiko, Ryoma have always given vague answers regarding his past life.

Ryoma's lips twitched. "Getting up close and personal aren't we?"

_(Shirou Emiya have never been one to use sarcasm and snark as defense mechanism. But Ryoma Echizen? He learned from the best and he's not gonna let it to waste)_

"You have no problem telling me that it shows the way you died." Syusuke pressed on, wondering exactly how far he can go before Ryoma started pushing back. "Now I just need confirmation."

"It wasn't self-inflicted." Ryoma said curtly before standing up and walked away, leaving Syusuke to ponder the implications behind his words.

**Logic**

For the first time in many many decades, Ryoma wanted to cry. Not because anything bad or horrific happened to him, he's used to tragedies after all (_Mostly because his previous life was one)_, but because of the sheer stupidity of the entire situation.

He knew for one that despite the absolute lack of Mana in the air, most of the humans in the new world he was reincarnated into still have something resembling Od and Magic Circuits inside them. He also knew that Magecraft as he knew it was pretty much impossible. But he knew he can still use Reinforcement to enhance his body, though nowhere near as effective as in his previous life. All those leads him to believe that as a whole, what exist in the world wasn't "magic" so to say but something more akin to "internal energy" that many martial arts seemed to put emphasize on.

While everyone else were either surprised by or were admiring Ryoga's achievement of Pinnacle of Perfection, Ryoma buried his face into his palm. He pointedly ignored his father strutting in to say something about enjoying tennis or whatever. He's way too distressed by the fact that apparently, the logic of this particular world seemed to dictate that out of all thing, _tennis _was the key to awaken one's Magical Circuits from dormancy.

"Oh Root, _why_."

(_Ryoma knew that he could never achieve the Pinnacle of Perfection himself. His soul was too distorted, too _broken_, to truly enjoy tennis as it is. Maybe if he hadn't been Shirou Emiya in his previous life, he could have. But he _was_ Shirou Emiya and he couldn't do anything about it_)

**Awake**

Remembering was a lot like waking up. Like a fog being cleared from his mind.

There was no sudden rush of memories that overloaded his brain. There was no sudden realization. There was no shock in realizing that he has been reincarnated, because deep down he had always known. The memories were always there, just inaccessible to him.

It was that way because Ryoma had simply never forgotten.

In the end it was as natural as breathing. No thoughts or feelings involved.

One moment he was Ryoma Echizen, six years old son of the Samurai Nanjiroh, exceptionally good at tennis for his age, a boy that sometimes looked far too world weary for his age, and who sometimes woke up in the middle of the night with cold sweats from a nightmare he couldn't remember. The next moment, he was still Ryoma Echizen, just one that remembered he was Shirou Emiya in his previous life. That once upon a time he was a sword, one who left everything behind to pursue his ideals and was betrayed by it.

That moment, Ryoma had shrugged and carried on. He have an older brother to beat in tennis and maybe Shirou Emiya have some solutions for that.

**Ghost**

Sometimes Ryoma couldn't help but wonder if the fact he had gained the attention of one eternally energetic and loud Tooyama Kintarou was karma from his past life for leaving Taiga behind without a word.

It wasn't hard at all for him to see the similarities. Perpetually upbeat? Check. Perpetually hungry and asking him for food? Check. Incredibly confident in themselves? Check. Freakishly strong despite their stature? Check. Never listening to people unless threatened? Check. The only thing missing was Taiga's temper but Ryoma thanked the gods for making Kintarou as oblivious as a parakeet and pretty much incapable of being angry.

"Koshimae! Koshimae! Look at my new technique!"

Ryoma groaned. Maybe the temper had been replaced by inability to read people's name correctly.

Unfortunately, he was so deep in his thought that he completely missed the shouts coming from his teammates warning him of a ball heading toward him. If he had noticed, he could have dodged or used his Reinforcement to lessen the damage. But he didn't, so twenty minutes later Ryoma woke up in the infirmary, the red-haired Shintenhoji regular by the bedside.

"Koshimae, I'm so sorry! I was so excited that I didn't notice where I was hitting the ball to and well…" In an extremely rare show of sobriety, Kintarou was honest to god looked guilty.

Ryoma sighed. Even the way they fretted after making a mistake was so similar. Shaking his head, Ryoma reminded himself to stop seeing ghosts where there aren't. No matter how much Shirou Emiya wished he could go back and make it up to Taiga, there's now only Ryoma Echizen and Tooyama Kintarou.

"It's fine, it's my fault for zoning out." He waved off. "Also, just call me Ryoma. Koshimae is wrong and also a mouthful to hear."

When he saw the grin blossom on the fellow Super Rookie's face, Ryoma couldn't help but wonder if he had just made a mistake.

* * *

**A/N: Another batch is up! So yeah, the PoT cast were using magic without even realizing it's magic (At least when I imposed Nasuverse logic of magic to it). Rin will have an aneurysm if she was reincarnated here as well (wink wink). Also, in case anybody's wondering, the Shirou here is the Shirou who should have became Archer but got reincarnated as Ryoma instead. (I'm not sure if being stuck in the middle of dozens of certifiably insane tennis players were much better than becoming a Counter Guardian :P)**

**Reply to Wrath5151: I see you're a man of culture as well**


	3. Chapter 3

**Figure**

The fact that Nanjiroh could never replace Kiritsugu as the person that he saw as his father was something that Ryoma have come to accept the moment he recognized that he used to be Shirou Emiya

For him, Nanjiroh was more like an older "friend" that helped him to recognize that tennis was something he can enjoy on top of the other interests he might have. Never did Ryoma ever recognize Nanjiroh's ideals or dreams as possibly his own, and neither did he felt like he owed Nanjiroh his entire existence.

(_In many ways, it was Kiritsugu that gave him his life as Shirou Emiya. It was him who pulls him out of the burning wreckage that erased everything he might have before the fire. Kiritsugu was the man he could never come to resent despite his ideals being the one who brought him his demise.)_

He never expected Nanjiroh to be one, after all. One was a retired pro tennis player, the other was a magus killer whose life might rival his previous life in term of tragedies and pain.

_(Emiyas was born to suffer, Rin joked once when they unraveled the mysteries of Kiritsugu's life. The despair in Shirou's eyes caused her to shut herself up.)_

It's such a shame that Rinko was barely around most of the time. Having a mother figure around would have been nice for once, though Ryoma never found himself wanting something he never have and would probably barely have for the rest of his life.

_(Once upon a time, Illya told him of a mother that she had. The mother who loved her, the mother who was there with Kiritsugu for her. Shirou, so tired from the Holy Grail War at the time, told her that she's an idiot for being jealous of him for having Kiritsugu for a bit of time when she had both Kiritsugu and Iris for longer. Illya agreed)_

**Connection**

Ryuuzaki Sakuno was one anomaly that he found in his new life. Ryoma knew better than to look for ghosts, to look for connection where there wasn't and would never be.

But looking at the admiration that Sakuno seemed to give to him almost unconditionally, Ryoma couldn't help but push her away as the image of a purple haired girl who called him 'Senpai' always seemed to overlap with hers and he couldn't find it in himself to do that to them, to both Sakuno and Sakura.

(_It was his failure that caused Sakura's death. It was _his _own two hands that took her life. Yet she still found it in herself, in the middle of all the pain and insanity, to thank him for that.)_

It was for the better, anyway. Ryoma knew that it would never last, no matter how many times Nanjiroh and Ryoga told him that they deserved each other, or how many times Sakuno's grandmother wanted him to be the one for her. He would always say no, because he would never stop seeing Sakura within her and he knew that subconsciously, Sakuno knew that as well.

So when Ryoma heard that Sakuno have found someone, he couldn't help but to feel relieved.

(_In many ways, he's still very much afraid that being involved with him will endanger someone. It's silly, as Ryoma knew that unlike Shirou Emiya he's not gonna be prancing around the globe hunting down terrorists or picking fights with warlords, but the paranoia remained nonetheless_)

**Parallel**

Ryoma met Rin Tohsaka of his world completely by accident. Except she's not a Tohsaka, or even a Rin. In fact, Ryoma had no idea what her name was. The only reason he didn't think that she's _his _(or more exactly Shirou Emiya's) was because he remembered that Kaleidoscope could only access parallel worlds and not parallel universe. Which was to say that since the way that "magic" works in his new world was very much different from the one of his last one, then they didn't share the same universe.

Strangely enough, it was in a McDonalds that he met her. In all honesty, Ryoma _hated _fast food. Even as Shirou Emiya prancing around the globe hopping from one warzone to another, he always made it a priority to make his own food and only go for fast food when absolutely necessary. Not to mention he could easily make a much healthier and tastier version of things like burgers, friend chicken, and fries himself. But neither Ryoga nor Momoshiro nor Eiji listened to him when he said that.

He remembered that Rin hated fast food, claiming that it's not befitting for a lady like him. So he was surprised when he saw the girl that looked exactly like the Rin Tohsaka he knew came into the joint. She ordered some burger and fries to takeout before leaving as fast as she came.

His older brother and seniors teased him later for staring at a pretty girl for so long, but Ryoma simply shrugged and said that she reminded him of someone he knew.

When he returned home, Ryoma couldn't help but wonder if there's also a Shirou Emiya doppelganger in his world.

(_His answer would come when he was already 25 years old, staring at a ten years old, red haired boy that looked exactly like he was in his previous life before the young boy was pulled away by his mother)_

**Trace**

Ryoma realized that while he's no longer able to figure out everything about a sword simply by looking at it, he could still do the same by _touching _it. He realized it when Genichiro allowed him to touch his family's heritage sword during his visit to older boy's house when he was ten years old. He immersed himself into the sword for some time, long enough to make his fellow kendoka worried about him and shook him awake.

(_It was then that Ryoma duly noted that within him still lies Unlimited Blade Works, just out of his reach due to the fact that his world rejected the idea of projecting such world or anything within it into the "real" world_)

Since then, Ryoma found himself looking around museums and dojos for swords for him to touch and immerse himself into. It was something that he missed, as if his very own soul was calling out to him to look for swords, to connect with one. Nanjiroh joked that one day he might end up being an actual samurai instead of just having a nickname as one like him. Ryoma told him that he's an idiot.

(_Ryoma knew for one that samurais aren't all that noble, if the history he traced from their swords were any indication._)

At the age of 12, Ryoma found himself named as one of the youngest sword appraiser in Japan, much to his own ire.

(_He knew that blabbing out about swords to Genichiro's family was a terrible idea_)

**Understanding**

It was not long after Ryoma defeated him that Nanjiroh came to him and asked straight to his face if he's really his son.

"By all means, I am Ryoma Echizen and have always been." He replied back then and Nanjiroh never asked again, letting him do whatever he wants while vaguely acting like a father to him at times. For the most part however, out of sight from anyone else, Nanjiroh treated him as his equal, never really treating him like a child since then.

Yumiko Fuji might be the first person that Ryoma ever told about his past life, but deep down, he knew that Nanjiroh didn't treat him that way just because he defeated him in tennis. Ryoma knew that in some ways, Nanjiroh understood that while he _is _Ryoma Echizen, he's no longer his son. At least, not the one he knew before something within him suddenly changed.

Ryoma never saw Nanjiroh as his father, and Nanjiroh understood to some extent that Ryoma wasn't his son. And for that, Ryoma was glad. Until he met Yumiko and Syusuke, there's nowhere else where he could loosen up on being a children that he knew he wasn't, he never was.

(_The fire was the end of his childhood. Whatever he have after that was only an illusion kept up by Kiritsugu and Taiga's misguided perception of the Emiya family_)

Nanjiroh never was and will never be his father, but Ryoma might find it in himself to someday consider him a friend.

* * *

**A/N: Third batch up! I think by now it's obvious that none of this is in chronological order. Next batch will be focused on Ryoma's relation with the Seigaku regulars.**

**Guest: I feel like Atobe fits Rin more than Shirou (Again, wink wink).**

**Yumi22: Maybe she will, maybe she won't (See above reply for hint). But honestly, I don't think there will be any romance in this fic, or if there's any, won't be central to the fic.**

**Also, leave a review if you have anything to say and check out my other fics. (I'm open to suggestions, look at my profile for an idea on what I'm interested in writing for)**


	4. Chapter 4

**DISCLAIMER: Neither FSN nor PoT is mine.**

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**Leader**

Shirou Emiya was never a leader, and Ryoma Echizen inherited that part of him. While he's much less inclined to just take order from others this time around, he still find solace in having a leader to look up to. He spent most of his previous life fighting alone, avoiding making companions and driving away those close to him with his blind adherence to his ideals, so excuse him for finding comfort in some sort of clarity in destination. With Seishun Gakuan tennis team, that destination was obviously another national championship.

Personally, Ryoma wasn't too excited about the whole thing. He loved tennis, obviously, but once he beat Nanjiroh, he knew that he'd be hard pressed to find someone that can play in the same level as him. He could just gave himself some handicap, but he found doing something like that to be disrespectful to his opponents.

Looking at Tezuka, however, he couldn't help but feel like he want to help him achieve his dreams. There's a pull, a gravity, that made Ryoma can't help but admire him. A strong leader, a "pillar" he was called, and Ryoma whole-heartedly agree with that assessment. His conviction was unwavering, as if nothing could truly shake him no matter what. And unlike with Shirou Emiya, that unwavering conviction didn't come from being a distorted human, but as a sign of strength.

Yes, Ryoma decided, if he's going to help someone, to look up to someone as a "leader", that someone would be Kunimitsu Tezuka, the pillar of Seigaku.

(_Sometimes, Ryoma wondered how things could have been different for his past life if he had a strong pillar to lean on. Arthuria and Rin could have been that, but it wasn't meant to be, while Sakura was more likely to look at him to be her pillar, which he could never be_)

**Question**

Frankly enough, Ryoma doesn't like Inui. In fact, he disliked most Data Tennis players in general and would happily mess with them and their data in any chance he have. While he understand the importance of information, his past lives experience told him as much, but for the love of god, he hates their eternally prying eyes and insatiable thirst for more data. For one, they reminded him a lot of pretty much most magus he knew in his previous life. Obsession for more and more knowledge, all for the sake of a single goal. The difference being that magus did it all either for the sake of reaching "Root" and have no qualms about stepping on morality and humanity for the sake of that goal. Inui and other Data Tennis players mostly did all those to win tennis games.

Then again, this is the same world where one's equivalent of magic circuit was utilized through _tennis _so maybe they're onto something. Ryoma gave up trying to understand how magic worked in his new world by the time he realized that somehow it all leads back to tennis. Which, while he loved tennis, was incredibly ridiculous.

Despite all that, though, he maintained a façade of cold indifference toward his senior, pretty much the same one that he gave to everyone else that isn't Ryoga. Which, could lead to situations such as the one he's in.

"If you have a question, just say it." Ryoma stated wearily, finally giving in to Inui's inquisitive stare.

Inui pushed up his glasses, "Hmm, the probability of you welcoming my inquiries are less than 10%."

"Well, then I suppose you'd rather waste that less than 10% chance." Ryoma stated dryly. "Make it quick or I'll leave."

"Just one question, actually." Inui stated quickly, then a gleam entered his eyes just hidden by his glasses. "_What _are you, exactly?"

Well, if there's one thing that Ryoma took great comfort in, it's the fact that none of them have managed to actually "figure" him out.

"I wonder…" Ryoma stated, tugging on his cap before turning away.

"That didn't answer my question." Inui frowned.

Ryoma smirked. "I only say that you can make your question, not that I'd answer it. _Mada mada dane, _Inui-senpai."

**Motherly**

Ryoma saw himself as many things, but motherly was definitely never one of them. The same applied to Shirou Emiya, no matter how many teasing about him being a housewife he received. Sure, he can cook, he's good at cleaning, and all in all, he likes to do household chores. But he's definitely _not _motherly.

For one, he doesn't even really know how someone who was motherly acts like since whatever Shirou Emiya knew about his mother was burned away in the fire, none of the female figures in his life after that was one, and Ryoma's own mother barely showed up if ever. He never resented her for it, really. It's hard to miss something that was never really there to begin with.

So, when he noticed people talking about how Oishi was like the mother hen of the Seigaku Tennis Club, he paid attention both to whoever talked and to the Third Year himself. Mostly out of curiosity, really, but having next to no contact to any motherly figure, he might as well try to figure what make someone 'motherly'.

He knew that Oishi seemed to have make a habit out of checking after the regulars, something he had known for some time as he had seen Ryoga getting entire lectures about personal hygiene through the phone back when he still haven't joined Seigaku.

Ryoma, for one, never really got one since he can look after himself perfectly thank you. If anything, Oishi seems to love to use him as an example of excellent personal care, and when Ryoga told him that he's practically cooks for the entire family and do most of the chores at home, the third year become even more proud (?) of him and exasperated at everyone else since their first year is a much more capable person than pretty much everyone else.

When it comes to the point that he and Oishi starts trading recipes, his status seems to evolve from Oishi's "golden child" to a "teen mom" as again, Momoshiro puts it. Ryoma obliterated the other teen in the court for five sets straight after he made that comment.

**Friend**

Ryoma liked to think that unlike his previous self, he's doing a pretty good job making friends this time around. For one, none of the person that he considered his good friend this time around was practically a sociopath though he have a niggling suspicion that one of these days Fuji was gonna be caught as a serial killer or something. Or for that matter, Yukimura. But as far as he's concerned, none of them have raped their sister, so that's a huge plus for all of them, creepy behavior or not.

However, Momoshiro and Kikumaru have always been somewhat of an anomaly for him.

Sure, he's no stranger to loud and boisterous characters. From his previous life, there's Taiga, which honestly need no further explanation. Ryoga was also someone who seemed to make it his personal life mission to annoy Ryoma in every way possible, at least when not doting after him. But Momorshiro and Kikumaru were different in that, they really have no reason to continuously approach Ryoma despite the latter constantly rejecting them and calling them annoying.

Sometimes, he was tempted to ask _why _but he knows that such questions would definitely be met with incredulous stares, as if the answer was obvious all along.

It's not that Ryoma didn't get the concept of "friendship", since even Emiya Shirou, before the Holy Grail War erase any modicum of normalcy in his life, have people he consider friends. But for the most part, the friends he made were ones that results from mutual "approaching", even _Shinji_.

Momoshiro and Kikumaru, however, seemed to make it a point to continue to approach him even when Ryoma himself made no effort to reciprocate their efforts beyond the most basic courtesies.

But well. He supposed he didn't _dislike _anomalies.

(It's a bit like having dogs following you around, really.)

**Quiet**

Ryoma liked Kaidoh. Mostly because the other is quite simply the closest thing that Ryoma have to a "safe" spot for peace and quiet in the Seigaku Tennis Club. Sure, there's Tezuka, but even Ryoma needs to make small takes from time to time, and he sure as hell wasn't gonna get one from Tezuka. To put it simply, Tezuka's quietness was a bit too awkward for even him to endure for long.

Kaidoh was nice in his quiet, though. The second year would sometimes make small talks that Ryoma responds with a one or two syllables answers, and the other seemed to like it that way. Sure, Kaidoh could be a bit silly at times, but if Ryoma could bear with the silliness of the rest of the damn club, he could do it with Kaidoh's.

In a way, Ryoma felt that Kaidoh was probably what to him Issei was to his previous life. A nice company that for the most part was content with comfortable quiet and could be goofy at times.

He just really hope that he would never have to strip Kaidoh to look for some magical markings. Ryoma was pretty sure that Issei never really quite forgave Shirou for that.

* * *

**A/N: Has it really been half a year since I updated? Wow. I honestly kinda lost inspiration for this one, since my FSN and PoT highs have been replaced by a few other fandoms but I'll try to keep this going.**


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